Heart's Last Wish
by Rose ReNamed
Summary: Ron and Hermione have known each other since they were young, but now that they are older, Hermione is starting to feel new feelings. My first fanfic. HermionexRon, maybe some GinnyxHarry. Rated T for safety.
1. The beginning

A group of kindergarteners are playing tag on the frozen concrete. "HA! Tag, you're it!" shouts a boy with flaming red hair. The brown haired girl he bumped into stumbles, then trips against the hard ground. The red haired boy looks at her, then around to make sure no one is watching.

He kneels beside her. "Hermione?" he says in a quiet voice.

"Uugh, what do you want, Ron Weasly?" She looks defiant, but tears streak her cheeks.

"You okay?" Hermione shudders, then pulls her knees to her chest and buries her face. After a moment, he awkwardly puts his arm around her. She doesn't pull away, despite the severe risk of cooties.

Then she looks up. "I'm not a baby..." her voice trails off. Ron whips his arm away and leaps to his feet as another girl with long messy red pigtails runs up.

"EEEEWWW!!!!" she shrieks. "Ugh, Ron you have _cooties_! Go away! Shoo! Eeew, cooties! I'll tell mummy you pushed Hermy, I _swear_!" The glowering expression on her face as she kneels down and hugs Hermione shows that she is not one to be trifled with.

Ron backs off, sneering, "Well, I'll tell Harry that you- UMPH!"A boy with messy black hair bangs into him, bowling him off his feet. "Grr..."

A scuffle breaks out. "Come on, let's get you outta here," the girl with red hair whispers in Hermione's ear. She helps her stand and leads her away. "You can change your jacket, it's got cooties all over it."

Hermione wrinkles her nose. "Yeah. Thanks, Ginny." She leans on her shoulder.

Ginny smiles. "S'okay, Hermy. You know what, I think you need an ice pack..."

As the girls walk off, Hermione catches Ron's eye. He smiles awkwardly, and she grins shyly back. As he returns to his game, Hermione leans on the still-chattering Ginny's shoulder and closes her eyes.


	2. Doubledutch

_I know that Hermione is older than Ginny, but I thought that Ginny and Luna should be as old as Hermione. They're all in the same grade, but Ginny is still younger than Ron. _

Hermione POV

Hermione & Ginny- 8 years. Ron & Harry- 9 years.

"Ice cream, ice cream, cherry on top..." I was jumping double-dutch on a hot summer day, the summer before the start of third grade. I panted as I skipped over the old jump ropes that Luna and Parvati were swinging wildly. Suddenly, Lavender, who was standing to the side, claiming that she didn't want to mess up her hair, shrieked "OOOOH, it's Harry! Hi!" She waved frantically, fluffing up her hair and smoothing her dress. I rolled my eyes and continued jumping. _Who cares? _I thought. I wanted to break the double-dutch record. But at Lavender's yell, Parvati dropped the ropes, and I stumbled. Lavender giggled and pointed as I lay sprawled across the grass. I felt the heat rising in my fdace, as Luna said, dreamily, "Don't worry, Hermione. Those ropes wern't so old, anyway."

"Huh?" I was confused. Then I saw the shredded jump ropes... I blushed even brighter. Thankfully, Ginny came running out of the house with my savior from staring eyes- ice cream. With a roar of delight, everyone gathered round her. I was left alone, with no one but the ripped jump ropes and my embarrasment for company.

Ron POV

As Harry, Dean, and I rounded the corner, I saw my kid sisters friends playing double dutch. Wow, I thought, just like little babies. Ice cream, ice cream... I guffawed, along with Dean and Harry. That drew Lavender Brown's attention... As she squealed, and as Harry glowered, I looked around for Ginny. No sign of her- just then, Hermione tripped and fell on the grass. To my amazement, she turned red. Was she going to cry? I paled- sympathy wasn't really my strong point- but then Loony Lovegood stepped in, and I breathed a sigh of relief. When Ginny came running out with chocolate ice cream, I ran toward her, but I thought of the differences between Hermione and Lavender. I was somehow sure, looking at Lavender as she giggled and batted her eyelashes at Harry, who was gobbling his ice cream with a rather forced and pointed determination, that she would have cried immediately and dramatically, whereas Hermione was... different, somehow. Stronger.

_Not sure if I made Ron too mature... I thought there should be a difference between his kindergarten and third grade mind. R&R!_


	3. Sleepover

Hermione POV

My mom's old blue Toyota minivan screeched to a halt in front of an old, rather grand brick mansion. My mom checked her watch, worried.

"All right now, hurry out, you'll be late! Do you need help? Have you got your homework? Do you have your toothbrush? Do you have your sleeping bag? Is Ginny's mom going to be home? Do you have your cell phone? Do you-"

"Mom!" I cut through her nervous rambling. "First of all, I don't have a cell phone." I paused to let that sink in. "Secondly, Everyone in Ginny's family that's in the state is here. THIRDLY" I said, since my mom showed every sign of interrupting, "I will be fine. I'm going to Ginny's house for a sleepover. I'm not going to dress up, steal the car, and drive to Vegas."

My mother sighed. "Sorry, it's just that-" she sniffed. "You're growing up so fast. You aren't my little girl anymore."

I forced a smile. I hated all this baby stuff. "Okay, mom, love you, bye!" I jumped out, pulling along my backpack, purse, and the book I was reading. I waved as my mother drove off. Then I turned slowly toward the house, savoring the freedom from my wildly overprotective mother, and walked toward the door.

Before I even reached, a group of boys came barreling out, laughing. I saw Harry, Ron, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom laughing uproariously and ramming into each other. Ron spotted me first and stopped abruptly, causing everyone to bump into him and fall. I blushed- I felt so stupid just standing there- and watched the tips of Ron's ears turn red. As all the snorting boys untangled themselves, we stared at each other, wondering what to say. My mind was fuzzy. I couldn't think straight.

He broke the silence first. "Umm, Ginny's inside-" He waved vaguely at the door, "you now, if you want to… I think she's, um, waiting…"

I managed to nod. "Thanks. I…" I finally just walked through the door. As I turned around to close it, I caught a glimpse of Ron. He was helping Neville up and laughing… as if I'd never been. I shook my head, clearing these confusing thoughts away. _This will be fun!_ I thought, forcing myself to grin. _Fun, fun, fun!_

Ginny POV

I should have known… Hermione wasn't accustomed to all this noise. That was the only possible explanation that she kept glancing at Ron. I'd called her name at least 5 times… could she not do me the courtesy of looking at me?

"HERMIONE!" I screamed. She jumped. I smiled and shook my head. Then I stopped. Why was she blushing?

"So, um, what color did you pick?" she asked, referring to the extravagant collection of nail polishes I possessed. I groaned. What the hell was going on with her?

_________________________________________________________________________

Hermione POV

"_Hermione_," Ginny said carefully, "I'm done."

"Huh?" I looked down at my nails, which were a rosy shade of pink. "Oh."

"Girls!" Ginny's mom called out. "Bedtime!"

"Sure, Mom!" Ginny called sweetly. I touched my nails to see how wet they were.

They were dry. Oh. Was I really that zoned out? I shook myself internally as I spread my sleeping mat out. I couldn't afford to just stare at him! It was too risky.

Ginny interrupted my thoughts. "Uh, Hermione, what are you doing?"

Hatching eggs. "Laying out my sleeping mat."

"Why?"

"Because your mum said to get to sleep!" I screamed. "Why does no one understand even the simplest of things? Ugh!" I pulled the bag over my head and closed my eyes. Angry wraiths swirled about my head. I was furious at Ginny, Ron, the world… but mostly myself.

A/N _Sorry, I didn't mean for Hermione to freak out like that… I couldn't really help it. Still not sure if I should make them Muggles or magic… please give me opinions! R&R! _


	4. Tears

_Merry Christmas!_

_Everyone is in 5__th__ grade for this one._

Hermione POV

I cringed as another vicious bout of noise- yelling, taunting, and laughing- erupted from the class. The teacher, Professor McGurdy, had asked Ron a question for the closed book math examination. The teacher would set a date, and everyone would study. When the day came, the teacher would move down the rows in alphabetical order, asking each person a question. As I watched Ginny's brother struggle with the question, I struggled with what I wanted to do- what I felt- and what I knew was right- what I had been taught. I desperately wanted to whisper the correct answer to him, but I knew that I had studied and it wouldn't be fair to help him- or so my mother said. But I had seen him study last night when I went to Ginny's house to help her study. I had wanted to help him, too, but I was too shy and awkward.

I paid the price for it now.

Though I warred and forced myself to side with the right side, my subconscious was subtly making plans. _While everyone is laughing like idiots, I could whisper it. I could throw a paper ball to the side of the room, and while everyone stares at it, I could tell him. I could ask to go to the bathroom and mutter it while I passed him_. No, no, no! Too risky, too obvious, too stupid. But I couldn't bear to watch. I finally pointed at him and said, "Oh, wow, is he stupid or what?" I saw the horrified look from Ginny, the murderous glare from Fred & George, Ginny's twin brothers, and the worst of all- the shocked, wounded, numb stare from Ron. I nearly stopped, fell to my knees, and begged for forgiveness. But I couldn't stop now. "Such a simple thing… hey, ickle wonniekins, what's thwee pwus thwee? Hmm?"

While the buffoons laughed (rather grotesquely, I thought) I whispered, "Neither, Ron!!" He looked at me as if I was crazy, but he couldn't say anything.

"Ronald Weasly!" Professor McGurdy uttered in her high, squeaky voice. "For the last time, is pi a terminating or repeating number?"

"Um, neither, Professor McGurdy."

"What?" Her voice was high and disbelieving. "There are no other options!"

"Excuse me, Professor, but I believe you are wrong." The words seemed to be flowing from his mouth. He looked confident and assured, but I could see under it to his fear, uncertainty and confusion. "A terminating number ends, but a repeating number repeats, obviously. But pi just keeps going, but it doesn't repeat. Isn't that right?" The last bit was slightly shaky.

Professor McGurdy frowned. She glowered at him. The students stared at Ron. The various Weaslys alternately glanced at Ron and me.

_Clang! Clang!_ The bell sounded loudly, and everyone jumped. The teacher was the first one out of the room. Stares followed her. After a moment, she popped her head back in and called out, "Dismissed!"

Ginny POV

"What the hell were you doing?!" Students turned to stare at me, but I didn't care. "I thought you were my friend!"

Hermione cringed. "Ginny, please, give me a chance to exp-"

"I DON'T WANT YOUR FILTHY EXPLANATIONS! Give it to me straight! Why the-" I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I breathed in deep breaths, trying out the yoga breathing patterns I had learned. One, two, three, in, one two, three, out. Carefully keeping control of my breathing, I said slowly, "Why… did… you… make… fun… of… Ron?"

"Gin, listen. It was all a ruse, Gin, a trick! I knew he studied, he just needed some help." What the hell? "You saw how those idiots laughed at him, rolling all over the floor…" Her nose wrinkled in distaste. "If I said something like that, they would laugh even harder! I told Ron it was neither, and nobody saw. But I'm sorry." I looked at her, bemused. Tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Hermione…" I paused, and then hugged her. Her sobs stopped eventually. I tried again. "Hermione, I'm sorry for misunderstanding. I should have known you had something up your sleeve." She grinned, and wiped away the tear stains on her face.

"But, Hermione… why are crying?"

Her smile vanished. "It was the look he gave me… so wounded!" She shook her head, as if to ward off a memory. "How could I do that to him? How could I hurt him? He'll never forgive me! _I_ wouldn't forgive me!" She sat down on a bench (we had reached the grounds by now); lay her head down onto her lap, and started to cry again. I stared for a moment, and then ran off to find Ron.

Ron POV

I glared at Ginny as she ran over to me. "Go a-" I started. But Ginny, the stubborn thing, grabbed my arm and pulled. Well, two could play at that game. I gripped the bench and dug my feet into the ground. I knew it was childish, but right then, I was mad at everything. What was wrong with me? But Ginny said in a low, menacing voice, "Ron, if you don't come with me right now, I swear-"

"Okay, okay, what, Ginny?" I would be big about it. I would get it over with.

"It's Hermione! She's upset! Please, listen to me for a sec." I stared in wonder as she explained what happened.

"Okay, now I get it…" My mind wandered off. I thought about what Ginny said. Why would Hermione do that? Did she care what happened to me? She was Ginny's friend, not mine. But if what Ginny said was true, she was upset because of me.

I jumped up. "Let's go."

"Thanks, Ron. She's over there."

It took me a moment to grasp her meaning. "You want me to go alone?" She nodded as if it were obvious.

I ran toward the bench where Hermione sat, silhouetted against the darkening sky. I knelt in front of her and whispered, "Hermione?"

She glanced up, shocked. "Ron?" I was suddenly aware that she was really, really close to me… I shook the thought away.

"You okay?" I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Sure… Ron, I'm sorry. Really sorry, Ron…" I hesitated, and then sat on the bench beside her.

"It's fine, Hermione. Thanks for helping me… Ginny explained." She surprised me by laying her head on my shoulder. I stiffened, then relaxed. We sat there like that for a long time. Finally, I said, "Hermione, it's getting late…"

She jumped up. "Oh, sorry." She looked awkward.

After a moment, I said, "Come over to our place. It's getting dark… You can spend the night. With Ginny." I hurried to correct myself.

She smiled. "Okay. I think that was the plan, anyway. Friday nights at Ginny's place…"

I put my arm around her shoulder. "Come on."

We walked off through the street like that, together.

A/N _A longer chapter than usual… please review! Still need to know if they're Muggles or magic!_


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